A study released Thursday shows more than 73,000 Pennsylvanians would stop receiving emergency unemployment compensation at the end of the month if no action is taken to extend the program.

Released by the Department of Labor & Industry Center for Workforce Information and Analysis, the study shows how many Pennsylvania residents per county are receiving emergency compensation.

As of Nov. 30, there were 930 in Monroe County and 180 in Pike.

The counties with the highest number of residents receiving emergency compensation are Philadelphia, with 11,910, and Allegheny, with 6,390.

About 1.3 million Americans across the country rely on the program.

The federal compensation program was started under former President George W. Bush in 2008.

After state unemployment benefits run out — usually after 26 weeks — federal emergency unemployment benefits kick in for up to another 47 weeks.

The program is set to expire Dec. 28 if there is no action taken because Congress failed to add an extension of those benefits back into the budget deal.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., spoke out about the need to extend the program. The program has already been extended several times in the past.

The Senate will reconvene Jan. 6, and a vote to extend the program and provide retroactive compensation when it expires on the 28th is “the first order of business,” Casey said, adding the House has yet to schedule a vote, however.

In 2008, the national unemployment rate was at 5.6. Today that figure is 7.2 percent, with Pennsylvania coming in slightly higher than the national average at 7.5 percent, Casey said.

Although job creation numbers are going up, the majority of those are low-wage positions, he said.

Casey estimates it will cost $25 billion a year to extend the program, but said the impact to families and the economy would be greater if it's discontinued.

“If we take away this program, it not only has an impact on the individual and his or her family, but also an adverse impact on the economy overall.”

The economic impact of failing to continue Emergency Unemployment through 2014, would mean the loss of $37.8 billion of economic activity, Casey said.